Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

Paula Radcliffe feels other sports could learn from athletics in providing equal pay for men and women.

Paula Radcliffe has spoken of her relief after she was found innocent of doping by the IAAF, world athletics’ governing body, and UK Anti- Doping.

The London 2012 Olympics was “sabotaged” by the presence of Russian athletes with suspicious doping profiles, according to a WADA independent commission report.

Paula Radcliffe has warned that “many innocent athletes” face being implicated in the doping scandal currently engulfing athletics following allegations of large-scale blood test irregularities.

Paula Radcliffe has passionately denied ever cheating during her career and said she was “devastated” to have been linked to widespread doping allegations which have engulfed athletics.

Paula Radcliffe has said she is “devastated that my name has even been linked” to wide-ranging accusations of cheating in athletics.

Live Athletics: Anniversary Games (BBC2, 8pm)

Athletics: Sergey Bubka, the IAAF vice president, said he is "deeply shocked" at the doping allegations against Russian athletes.

Paula Radcliffe has called for life bans for any athlete found guilty of doping, amid allegations the practice is widespread in Russian sport.

When Michael Cusack founded the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884 he had two main aims: to re-establish hurling as the national game and to promote athletics throughout the country.

Athletics’ world governing body, the IAAF, will hand four-year bans to those caught doping from 2015.

World marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe has called for nations guilty of institutionalised doping to be banned from participating in the World Championships.

Cycling’s world governing body the UCI has announced its intention to appeal against the decision of a Spanish court to destroy more than 200 blood bags seized during Operation Puerto.

The likelihood of an Irish women’s team competing at the World Cross-Country Championships in Poland next March remains a distant one, despite the insistence of Athletics Ireland officials they remain open to the idea.

Paula Radcliffe hopes to undergo surgery at the end of this month on the foot joint which forced her to withdraw from the Olympic marathon at London 2012.

Britain's Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt admitted that he is “sticking his neck out” in doubling the budget for London 2012’s opening and closing ceremonies to more than £80m (€96m).

Paula Radcliffe has labelled the decision to double the budget for the London 2012 opening and closing ceremonies as “frivolous” and suggested the money could have been better used elsewhere.

THE first thing that hits you whenever Ger Hartmann is in the room is the energy.

Kenya’s Patrick Makau today smashed the world record as he successfully defended his Berlin marathon title, with former record holder Haile Gebrselassie dramatically dropping out of the race.

Marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe has dropped a heavy hint she will try for a second baby next year ahead of her final bid for Olympic glory in London in 2012.

Defending marathon champion Paula Radcliffe has been selected by UK Athletics for the World Championships in Berlin in August.

Paula Radcliffe has delayed making a decision on when she will return to competitive racing until she knows how well her foot has recovered from surgery.

IRELAND’S Martin Fagan and multiple world champion Lornah Kiplagat were named European Athletes of the Month for October on the back of their scintillating form on the road circuit.

Lance Armstrong has again issued a firm denial against the doping allegations which have cast a shadow over his illustrious career, insisting: “there are exceptional athletes out there”.

FORMER Irish rugby international Denis Hickie suffered many injuries throughout his illustrious career but never let his asthma hold him back.

Paula Radcliffe is relishing the chance to compete in one of the strongest fields ever assembled when she defends her title in the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday.

Paula Radcliffe will run in the ING New York City Marathon on November 2, she has announced.

Paula Radcliffe insisted she would have walked all the way to the marathon finish line if necessary after her quest for an elusive Olympic medal ended once more in pain and tears.

TWO more Olympic athletes have tested positive for drugs bringing the total number of doping violations in Beijing to three.

TWO more Olympic athletes have tested positive for drugs bringing the total number of doping violations in Beijing to three.

PAULINE CURLEY had long abandoned her hopes of ever fulfilling her dream of competing in the Olympic Games when she got a text message telling her she had been selected for Beijing.

The Beijing Olympics will open today, firing the starting gun for the world’s ultimate sporting competition.

PAULA RADCLIFFE insists she will still compete in the women’s marathon at the Olympic Games even if there is a chance she could break down with injury.

Paula Radcliffe believes pollution in Beijing will not be as big a problem as heat and humidity during the Olympic marathon.

Nick Davies, communications director for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), has moved to allay fears that pollution may cause further athletes to withdraw from this year’s Beijing Olympics – a day after world record holder Haile Gebrselassie decided not to run the marathon.

PETER COGHLAN is hoping to take his return to top class athletics to another level tonight in Gothenburg where he will line up for the 60m hurdles against a string of international athletes.

World junior champion Linet Masai will miss tomorrow’s Belfast International Cross Country after failing to get a flight from riot-torn Kenya.

Paula Radcliffe has criticised plans to make the European Championships a biennial event because it will clash with the Olympics.

RAUL GONZALEZ’S ice-cold precision on the soccer field is no fluke.

A SERIES of successes by recent mothers has prompted questions whether childbirth, far from spelling the end of a sporting career, can actually boost an athlete’s performance.

Kieren Fallon told police in England he had never deliberately lost a race and the idea of doing it was like a plot from a Dick Francis novel, a court heard today.

Actress Katie Holmes was among the tens of thousands of runners in the New York City Marathon, finishing the race in five hours 29 minutes and 58 seconds.

Paula Radcliffe took victory in the ING New York City Marathon after a close battle with Ethiopia’s Gete Wami.